Serie A Preview: Parma
- Roma
Where: Stadio Tardini (Tardini Stadium)
When: Sunday 24/09/06
Hosts: Parma FC (17th – 1 point) DLL
Visitors: AS Roma (4th – 6 points) WWL
FC Parma will play host to AS Roma with both teams coming from defeats in midweek Serie A action that they’d rather put behind them. The edge has to be with the Giallorossi as Spalletti’s men were unlucky to fall at home to Inter, although it must be said that they have lessons to be learnt after the Olímpico defeat on Wednesday. Pioli’s Gialloblu are in even greater need of a win after an execrable start to the season. The Crociati (Crusaders; Parma’s other nickname along with Ducali) fans will be baying for blood if the team and Coach don’t manage to do the blue-and-yellow jersey justice at their Ennio Tardini home.
FC Parma started with a pig of a draw away at the Delle Alpi on the tenth; Igor Budan raised hopes with a goal that saw Parma take the lead ten minutes into the second half. The eternally loaned Croat’s strike seemed set to hand Parma their first three points, but the Gialloblu suffered a last-minute equaliser as Stellone put a Lazetic cross past an aghast De Lucia in the 90th minute.
The shock knocked Parma sideways and the Gialloblu have seemed sadly blue and rather yellow in their reluctance to take the fight to their rivals. Both AC Milan and Fiorentina have added to their woes with two successive wins. The Rossoneri made a Parma ham-and- Parmesan cheese sandwich with goals by Seedorf and Kaká depressing the Ennio Tardini audience as the 2006-7 home debut ended with a defeat.
To make matters worse, ex-striker Adrian Mutu nabbed an early goal at the Viola’s Artemio Franchi base that wasn’t answered by any of Pioli’s men. The same man who’d lit up the eyes of the Crociati faithful in the 2002-3 season had now turned on his ex-team and led the Florentines to leave egg on Parmeggiana faces. It’s not all doom and gloom for Parma,but there’s little doubt that an embryonic goal drought needs to be prevented tomorrow.
AS Roma can look back on a great start, only recently soured by Hernan Crespo’s 44th minute goal in Wednesday’s defeat at home in Rome. Spalletti is using some chrome-domed psychology to buck his boys back into business. The Coach openly admitted that the Giallorossi weren’t up to scratch and called for the squad to pull themselves together and get a realistic Scudetto bid back on track.
Last Season’s Experience
Going on what was seen in the 2005-6 season, AS Roma can look forward to chewing up Parma as the aggregate result was a 7-1 slamming of the Gialloblu by a storming Giallorossi. Rome were treated to a 4-1 porking of the Crociati and in the Parma match the Romans sliced the Gialloblu into wafer-thin slices with a 0-3 win.
Looking back at the last time both clubs clashed at the Ennio Tardini, Roma were hoisted to victory by an inspired Mancini. The Brazilian wingman nabbed a brace (47 & 72 min) while Perrotta netted the definitive third five minutes after Mancini’s second goal rippled the Gialloblu nets. The good news for Parma is that Amantino Mancini is out injured after the Inter match saw him hobble off. Simone Perrotta, however, will be present and willing to repeat.
Out of the teams that played out the 0-3 on a chilly February 4th, AS Roma will probably field seven of the same faces: Doni, Panucci, Chivu, Mexes, De Rossi, Perrotta and Totti all expected to feature in Spalletti’s first eleven. Parma, on the other hand, are expected to make an almost complete revolution with only Cardone, Grella and Morfeo surviving last year’s debacle.
Team News
FC Parma
Fernando Couto, Luca Bucci and Zlatan Muslimovic are all out of the fray; the three players at the end of their convalescence from various nagging injuries but not yet back in shape. Centre-back Damiano Ferronetti – absent last year through injury – is expected to be match-fit for a re-encounter with his ex-club, although will probably start on the bench. This is a relief for Parma after Massimo Paci was banned for two games after hamming up a Toni foul last Wednesday.
AS Roma
Spalletti is without Brazilian duo Amantino Mancini and Rodrigo Taddei. New boys Mirko Vucinic and Gilberto Martinez are also out of the match as both remain in dry dock still trying to get over ligament and muscular problems.
Players To Watch
AS Roma: TOTTI The idolised Giallorossi man will want to celebrate next Wednesday’s 30th birthday in style by proving that he can still make the difference. Although he’s yet to score in any of the past three games – Pizarro, Mancini, De Rossi, Chuka and Taddei are all level with a goal apiece – the ideal chances may well come through dead-ball opportunities. Failing that, expect to see the number 10 opening up the Gialloblu rearguard and assisting his team-mates with that vital last pass.
FC Parma: IGOR BUDAN The eternally loaned Croatian (Venezia, Ancona, Atalanta, Ascoli and now Parma) has been the Gialloblu’s only ‘weapon of match destruction’ to date in the current season. Igor will be eager to add to the Delle Alpi debut goal by lifting Parma to the first victory at home and making a home for the 26 year-old number 20 in Crociati hearts.
Possible Starting Elevens (Unconfirmed)
FC PARMA (4-5-1): De Lucia; Coly, Cardone, Contini, Castellini; Ciaramitaro, Grella, Gasbarroni, Morfeo, Pisanu; Budan
AS ROMA (4-5-1): Doni; Panucci, Chivu, Mexes, Tonetto; De Rossi, Pizarro, Cassetti, Perrotta, Aquilani; Totti
source goal.com